


snakebite

by SafelyCapricious



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Western, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 07:38:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5366804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SafelyCapricious/pseuds/SafelyCapricious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were hundreds of towns like this one out here – she’d passed through what felt like all of them before the stagecoach had stopped and she’d been told that this was it – this was Providence.</p>
<p>It looked exactly like the last dozen towns, dusty and sepia and tired. But it was still a new start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	snakebite

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the Ward Simmons Summer Week Nine challenge, for both bite and AU. <3
> 
> Previously posted on Tumblr.

There were hundreds of towns like this one out here – she’d passed through what felt like all of them before the stagecoach had stopped and she’d been told that this was it – this was Providence.

It looked exactly like the last dozen towns, dusty and sepia and tired. But it was still a new start.

She resisted the urge to take a deep breath of the air – there were horse droppings all around her and she was pretty sure that wet off to the side was not fresh well water. But she couldn’t help but puff up her chest and try to be positive. This was it, this was her new home.

She could make it work. 

She headed for the Sheriff’s station, the star sign visible from her stop. She’d been told the Sheriff would be able to direct her towards her uncle’s pharmacy – well, hers now. The letter from her uncle’s lawyer had seemed to imply there would be someone running it in her absence, but that they would work for her.

She was half expecting it to be stolen out from under her already but – no. Positive thinking was key.

She tightened her grip on her carpetbag and started forward resolutely.

Sheriff Morse saw her settled comfortably in the apartment above the pharmacy before she left her with her new assistant, Antoine Triplett. She immediately understood why her uncle felt certain that Mr. Triplett wouldn’t try to steal the business out from under her as he was the most welcoming sort imaginable. And, as it also turned out, he was more interested in the medical side of the pharmacy, which left her happily to her passion of chemicals.

Within a month she was happily settled and, except for the occasional letter from her parents urging her to forget her nonsense and return home, she was quite blissful.

Her routine started just before sunrise, with her heading to the chicken coop out back just as false dawn had started. She can do it with her eyes closed, and she nearly does most mornings as her water for tea has yet to boil.

That may be why it takes her a long moment to realize there’s someone slumped against the side of her chicken coop. She was halfway across the yard when she stopped cold. She didn’t recognize him immediately, she wasn’t sure she would at all since he was slumped over, hat low on his head – though that was a standard position with many of the town drunks and –

What if it was more nefarious than that? Everyone knew that Mr. Triplett didn’t show up until shortly before the shop was opened, which was still half an hour off.

She waited, for a moment, for any sign that he was about to spring into action when she noticed the red stain on his trousers.

She crossed the distance quickly, then, dropping her egg basket to kneel by his side and survey the damage. When she touched his leg, sticky with blood, his head moved and he stared at her, dazed for a moment before managing a pained grimace.

“Oh dear, can you stand? I can treat you but –“

She hadn’t even realized he’d gripped her wrist until his tightened grip stole the words from her throat. “Snake bite, other leg,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

She cussed and had his arm over her shoulder before she could reconsider. He was solid muscle beneath his jacket and though he clearly wasn’t moving fast, he helped her just enough that when his strength gave out and he collapsed it was at least in the kitchen, against a wall.

One look showed her that his eyes were closed, and though she had the disquieting feeling that he was still awake and aware she didn’t want to risk it if he wasn’t, so she got the shears and the kit and cut at his pant leg until she’d found the bite without asking.

She’d just finished administering the anti-venom – this would be its first test run, though she thankfully didn’t have to tell him that as he was either unconscious or feigning it very well – when Mr. Triplett came in the back door.

He stared at her in shock for a moment before quickly shutting and locking the door and hissing, “Jemma!” which she thought quite the victory. She’d been trying to get him to use her first name for weeks, and was refusing to call him Trip until he dropped the Miss Simmons act.

Of course, now wasn’t the time for dwelling on victory, and so she just jerked her head. “Come here, he has a gunshot wound – I think it’s just a graze but it’s rather, ah-hem, high so maybe you can take a look?”

He swore, using words she’d never even heard before and she filed them away, before crouching down at the man’s other side and taking the shears from her and cutting away a swath around the wound. “Girl,” he bit out as he started cleaning the area, “you have not even been here two months and you are already getting into trouble. Do you know who this is?”

She frowned and grabbed the hot water from her failed attempt at making tea this morning for him to use, handing it over. “He’s someone who’s been shot and bitten by a snake – he needed help and he came to me.”

“Son of a – This here is one of Garrett’s Boys, Miss Simmons.”

His hands were steady despite the anger in his voice, and she was glad for that. “I thought maybe you’d broken that habit, it’s Jemma, Trip.”

His smile was there and gone in a flash as he looked down at the wound again. “Won’t need stitches, just some cream and a good wrap – and to stay clean and dry.”

The man’s eyes were still closed, his head lolled back against the wall. Jemma thought he was just about the prettiest man she’d ever seen – and since what Mr. Triplett was saying were thing she already knew she wondered if he, too, doubted that the man was actually unconscious. She wasn’t sure what about him gave that impression – all of his muscles were lax and his mouth was even gaping a bit but…she would not have been surprised to see him bounce to his feet and engage in a gun fight, even now and even though there was no gun at his side.

When she turned back to Mr. Triplett, who had finished wrapping the wound while she was inattentive, he was giving her a concerned look and she could feel the heat rise to her face. “Garrett’s Boys are bad trouble, Miss Simmons. They’ll shoot you as soon as look at you – I wouldn’t be surprised if that graze was courtesy of our dear Sheriff. You’ve done what you can, let me help you carry him down to the station and –“

“We are not locking a man up just because he’s someone’s son!” She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “Besides, I’ve never used this anti-venom before and he needs to be observed. He came here for help and that’s what we’re going to do.” She nodded to herself and stood up. “Now, are you going to help me get him upstairs?”

Mr. Triplett stared at her for a long moment before covering his face with a hand and taking a deep breath. His shoulders dropped and she knew she’d won.

It took a long while to carry the man’s dead weight up the stairs. Long enough that they were a few minutes late to opening the shop – much to the surprise of Mr. Coulson who had come for some more cough syrup and had no time to talk until lunch. Which didn’t come near soon enough for Jemma’s sake, as she hadn’t managed to break her fast with more than a quick cup of tea between customers.

That was when Mr. Triplett explained to her that “Garrett’s Boys” weren’t some man’s sons, but was, in fact, the name of a gang that roamed these parts.

She told him it didn’t change anything, but she could admit to herself to being a bit nervous when she went to check the patient a few minutes later, while Mr. Triplett dealt with the miner who’d stepped on something metal and sharp.

His eyes were closed when she came in, and she let out a breath and sat on the bed besides his feet and leaned in to examine the snakebite. There was no heat to it and the bit of swelling that had been seemed to have gone down. She couldn’t help but smile – she’d been so sure she’d managed it properly but knowing – being able to test it and be sure! – was just amazing.

Her smile shifted to shock when she looked up from his leg and found him watching her with curious eyes.

His smile was slow, like molasses, as he levered himself up and then, quickly, grabbed her hand from where it was still resting on his calf. “I’m Grant,” he said, wicked smile now full-fledged.

She was glad she was already sitting, and that Mr. Triplett wasn’t there, because that smile meant trouble and she could already feel herself flushing. “I’m Jemma.”

His thumb caressed her wrist. “I know.”

Oh.

Oh dear.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find my writing tumblr [here](http://capriciouswrites.tumblr.com/). <3 Prompts are always welcome! Come say hi!


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